The Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad
(Burlington Route)
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 Chicago Burlington and Quincy July-Aug 1942 |
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the railroad served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Its primary connections included Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver. Because of this extensive tracking in the Midwest and mountain states the Q used the slogans "Everywhere West," "Way of the Zephyrs," and "The Way West".(wik) |
 Burlington Northern April 26, 1970 |
Pioneer Zephyr
History of the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad
1848 - Illinois chartered the Aurora Branch line from Aurora through Batavia to connect to Galena and Chicago Union at, what is now, West Chicago so as not to bypass Aurora and Batavia
1850 - Surveys made for better line directly to Chicago
1862 - Line from Aurora through Naperville, Downers Grove, Hinsdale and Berwyn to Chicago was opened
1862 - Line enters financial markets and is very successful, never defaulting
1863 - Commuter train service started (Oldest in Chicago area)
1860's - Name changed to Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad and is extended to the Mississippi River
1868 - Bridges over Mississippi River completed at both Burlington Iowa and Quincy Illinois, connecting the Q to the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Iowa and the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad in Missouri
1869 - RPO cars and connection to Pony Express on H&StJ.
1869 - B&MR builds westward toward Nebraska as a separate company
1870 - B&MR reaches Lincoln Nebraska
1872 - B&MR reaches Kearney Nebraska
1872 - Bridge across Missouri River at Plattsmouth completed
1872 - CB&Q absorbs B&MR of Iowa, and B&MR of Nebraska
1882 - CB&Q reaches Denver Colorado. First direct line Chicago to Denver
1881-1901 - Burlington rapidly expands its system to almost three times its original size by absorbing loosely held affiliates and through sound financial management and good planning. The Q reached as far as Billings Montana but never reached the west coast during the cheap building years of the 1880's.
1881-1901 - The "Q" is involved in a struggle between the large railroad tycoons for control. E. H. Harriman of Union Pacific wanted the "Q". So did James J. Hill of the northern roads, the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern. Finally, the Hill interests won out and the NP and GN owned nearly 100% of Burlington stock.
1897 - Burlington interested in non-steam, internal combustion power but has no success
1910-1920's - Burlington utilizes many internal combustion "Doodlebug" rail motor cars for branch line passenger, express and mail service, many engineered by Electro-Motive Corporation, leading to the development of the lightweight "Winton 8-201A diesel engine.
1934 - Lightweight Zephyr trains introduced using Winton engine and Budd car bodies. The beginning of the diesel-electric revolution, which started the demise of the steam locomotive in the U.S. "Pioneer Zephyr" begins service. The 1st series of Zephyrs were articulated train sets, later replaced by separate locomotives and cars.
1935-36 - The "Twin Zephyrs" begin runs from Chicago to Minneapolis.
1936 - "Denver Zephyr" starts Chicago to Denver with 16 hour schedule.
1937 - "Mark Twain Zephyr", last of the articulates.
1940-41 - EMD E5 stainless steel sided passenger locomotive units begin operating with separable car Zephyr trains. Replacements include Chicago-Minneapolis Zephyrs.
1945 - Q rebuilds a car into the first "dome" car.
1949 - "California Zephyr" dome train introduced, Chicago to Oakland on leisurely schedule, but with rewarding scenery on the Q, D&RGW and Western Pacific.
1959 - Last steam on "Q". A suburban train Chicago to Downers Grove
1970 - Burlington merges the Burlington, Northern Pacific, Great Northern and the Spokane Portland and Seattle into the new Burlington Northern.
1970 - Original "California Zephyr" discontinued.
1983 - Amtrak reinstates a "California Zephyr" train on a hybrid route Chicago to the SF bay area.
1992 - Burlington Northern merges with Santa Fe to become he Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF)
History of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad (FW&D)
1873 - Fort Worth and Denver Railway chartered
1881 - Construction started. FW&D and Denver and New Orleans Railroad Company agreed to connect at Texas-New Mexico border.
1888 - Service Fort Worth to Denver started
After 1898 - FW&D acquired by Colorado and Southern
1981 - FW&D merged into Burlington-Northern
1995 - BN merges with Santa Fe to become the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF).
History of Colorado and Southern Railway (C&S)
1890 - Union Pacific Denver and Gulf Railroad starts as a consolidation of Bankrupt Colorado Central Railroad and Cheyenne & Northern Railway.
1893 - UP bankruptcy unites UPD&G with Denver Leadville and Gunnison Railway and others.
1898 - Colorado and Southern Railroad formed from above railroads
1908 - Burlington buys control of C&S
1981 - C&S merged into Burlington Northern
The Burlington Zephyrs
The "Burlington Zephyr," America's first diesel-electric powered streamlined passenger train, made its famous "Dawn-to-Dusk" run from Denver, Colorado to Chicago, Illinois on May 26, 1934. On November 11, 1934 the train was put into regularly scheduled service between Lincoln, Nebraska and Kansas City, Missouri.
The zephyrs were the largest fleet of streamlined diesel-electric powered passenger trains in the U.S. in the 30's and 40's. No less than 15 different Zephyrs were in service, serving the cities of Lincoln, Omaha, Kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, St.Paul, St.Louis, Burlington, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Oakland and cities in between.
The California Zephyr, introduced in 1949, is still operated daily today by Amtrak. Another train, the Illinois Zephyr, is a modern descendant of the Kansas City Zephyr and American Royal Zephyr service.
Chicago to Minneapolis-St.Paul - 1940
The Chicago to Minneapolis-St.Paul competition was spirited during he 30's and 40's. The Burlington, with its introduction of the lightweight diesel-electric powered Zephyrs, had the speed advantage even with a longer run. Of course, the "Q" domination was aided by the movement over it's tracks of the GN & NP name trains the Empire Builder and the North Coast Limited, although they were on more relaxed schedules. The Milwaukee followed with lightweight steam powered Hiawatha's and was a close second, also aided by it's Pacific bound Olympian, later called the Olympian Hiawatha. The North Western, actually the first to enter the Chicago-St. Paul sweepstakes, tried to compete with the steam powered "400" and worked hard to keep up. The other three roads were also rans, but the Chicago Great Western valiantly tried to join with a "name train".
| Railroad | Train | Hours | Miles |
| Burlington (CB&Q) | 432 | ||
| 21 - Morning Zephyr | 6:30 | ||
| 23 - Afternoon Zephyr | 6:45 | ||
| 51 - North Coast Limited | 10:05 | Northern Pacific | |
| 49 - Empire Builder | 10:05 | Great Northern | |
| 47 - Blackhawk | 10:25 | ||
| 45-45 | 12:20 | ||
| Milwaukee Road (CMStP&P) | 420.8 | ||
| 191 - Afternoon Hiawatha | 6:45 | ||
| 5 - Morning Hiawatha | 8:00 | ||
| 1 - Pioneer | 9:45 | ||
| 55 - 55 | 12:35 | ||
| 15 - Olympian | 12:55 | ||
| North Western (C&NW) | 406.7 Madison | ||
| 401 - The 400 (Milwaukee) | 6:45 | 419.2 Milwaukee | |
| 405 - North Western Limited | 8:45 | Milwaukee | |
| 501 - The Viking | 10:25 | Madison | |
| 515 - The Victory | 10:40 | Madison | |
| 511 - Duluth-Superior Limited | 14:15 | Madison | |
| Soo Line (MStP&SSM) | 459.8 | ||
| 17-15 - 17-15 | 14:35 | ||
| 1 - 1 | 16:35 | ||
| Chicago Great Western (CGW) | 435.4 | ||
| 1-27 - Minnesotan | 12:30 | ||
| Rock Island (CRI&P) | 534 | ||
| 19-61-18 - 19-61-18 | 15:45 | ||
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Chicago to Denver - 1940
The Chicago to Denver competition goes slightly to the Burlington for having faster supporting trains supplementing their streamlined diesel-electric powered Zephyr. The Northwestern lost the race because its Pacific Coast trains, operated from Omaha by the U.P., didn't continue through Denver but went through Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Rock Island was a valiant third. The Santa Fe, with a longer route, and less through cars, was at a disadvantage to Denver.
| Railroad | Train and Name | Hours | Miles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burlington | 1034 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 - Denver Zephyr | 16:00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 39 - Exposition Flyer | 19:45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 - 3 | 22:30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Western | 1047 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 111 - City of Denver | 16:00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21-111 - Pac.Lim. C.of Denver | 22:45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 - Columbine | 32:15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rock Island | 1083
| | 8 - Rocky Mountain Rocket | 17:30 |
| | spl - Rocky Mt.Spec.(3 days) | 22:45 |
| Santa Fe | | 1174.9
| | 21-81-14 - El Capitan + (2 days) | 20:45 |
| | 19-81-14 - Chief + | 26:29 |
| | 3-13-130 - California Lim.+ | 31:00
|
| | |||
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The Burlington Race Track - Chicago to St. Paul Speeds - 1940
The Burlington diesel-electric powered lightweight Zephyr's were faster than any steam locomotive powered passenger trains in the 30's and 40's. Though the Pennsylvania west lines and the Milwaukee Road, and Northwestern Chicago to St. Paul runs also showed great speeds with great steam power (4-6-2 K4s Pacifics on the Pennsy and 4-4-0 Atlantics on the Milwaukee) the performance of the Zephyrs unveiled the ultimate fate of steam power, which was all gone by 1960.
The chart below shows start to stop speeds of 60 mph or greater, with Zephyr speeds in the 40's.
| Train | # | From City | To City | Miles | Min. | mph |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | E.Dubuque | Pr.Du Chein | 55 | 39 | 84.6 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | Pr.Du Chein | La Crosse | 58 | 43 | 80.9 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | La Crosse | Pr.Du Chein | 58 | 43 | 80.9 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | La Crosse | Pr.Du Chein | 58 | 43 | 80.9 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | Pr.Du Chein | La Crosse | 58 | 45 | 77.3 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | N.La Crosse | Winona Jct | 27 | 21 | 77.1 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | Aurora | Oregon | 60 | 48 | 75.0 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | N.La Crosse | Winona Jct | 27 | 22 | 73.6 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | St. Paul | Winona Jct | 101 | 84 | 72.1 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | Pr.Du Chein | E.Dubuque | 55 | 46 | 71.7 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | E.Dubuque | Pr.Du Chein | 55 | 46 | 71.7 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | St. Paul | Winona Jct | 101 | 85 | 71.3 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | Chicago | Aurora | 38 | 32 | 71.3 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | Chicago | Aurora | 38 | 32 | 71.3 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | Winona Jct | N.La Crosse | 27 | 23 | 70.4 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | Winona Jct | N.La Crosse | 27 | 23 | 70.4 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | Pr.Du Chein | E.Dubuque | 55 | 47 | 70.2 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | Aurora | Oregon | 60 | 52 | 69.2 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | Oregon | Savannah | 47 | 42 | 67.1 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | Savannah | Oregon | 47 | 42 | 67.1 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | Oregon | Aurora | 60 | 54 | 66.7 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | Oregon | Aurora | 60 | 54 | 66.7 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | Winona Jct | St. Paul | 101 | 91 | 66.6 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | Savannah | E.Dubuque | 39 | 36 | 65.0 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | Winona Jct | St. Paul | 101 | 94 | 64.5 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | Savannah | Oregon | 47 | 44 | 64.1 |
| Mourning Zephyr | 6 | Savannak | E.Dubuque | 39 | 37 | 63.2 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | E.Dubuque | Savannah | 39 | 37 | 63.2 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 24 | E.Dubuque | Savannah | 39 | 37 | 63.2 |
| Afternoon Zephyr | 23 | Oregon | Savannah | 47 | 45 | 62.7 |
| Morning Zephyr | 22 | Aurora | Chicago | 38 | 38 | 60.0 |
| Average Speed | 1662 | 1425 | 70.0 |
Back to Chicago
The Burlington Race Track - Chicago to Denver Speeds - 1940
The Burlington diesel-electric powered Denver Zephyr's provided a second race track for the Burlington in and out of Chicago in 1940. Here is the track, with the Exposition Flyer adding a few 60 and 60+ start - stop runs. Again, the diesel-electric power beats the steam, not necessarily for glamour but, just for sheer speed.
| Train | # | From City | To City | Miles | Min. | mph |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Denver | Brush | 88 | 63 | 83.8 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Aurora | Galesburg | 124 | 97 | 76.7 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Galesburg | Aurora | 124 | 97 | 76.7 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Hastings | Lincoln | 97 | 78 | 74.6 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Holdredge | Hastings | 54 | 44 | 73.6 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Holdredge | McCook | 77 | 64 | 72.2 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Brush | McCook | 167 | 142 | 70.6 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Chicago | Aurora | 38 | 33 | 69.1 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Lincoln | Hastings | 97 | 85 | 68.5 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | McCook | Fort Morgan | 177 | 156 | 68.1 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Hastings | Holdredge | 54 | 48 | 67.5 |
| ERxposition Flyer | 39 | Aurora | Mendota | 45 | 40 | 67.5 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Burlington | Ottumwa | 74 | 66 | 67.3 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Galesburg | Burlington | 44 | 40 | 66.0 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Ottumwa | Burlington | 74 | 68 | 65.3 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Burlington | Galesburg | 44 | 41 | 64.4 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Fort Morgan | Denver | 78 | 74 | 63.2 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | McCook | Oxford | 46 | 44 | 62.7 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Oxford | Holdredge | 24 | 23 | 62.6 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Ottumwa | Creston | 113 | 110 | 61.6 |
| ERxposition Flyer | 39 | Chicago | Aurora | 38 | 37 | 61.6 |
| Denver Zephyr | 1 | Creston | Council Bluffs | 99 | 97 | 61.2 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Creston | Ottumwa | 113 | 111 | 61.1 |
| Denver Zephyr | 10 | Aurora | Chicago | 38 | 38 | 60.0 |
| ERxposition Flyer | 39 | Mendota | Galesburg | 79 | 79 | 60.0 |
| Exposition Flyer | 40 | Burlington | Monmouth | 27 | 27 | 60.0 |
| Average Speed | 2033 | 1802 | 67.7 | |||
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Our Sources
Private Collection of Richard R. Parks(rp)
Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia [web](wik)
Official Guide- April 1940
Classic Trains - Kalmbach Publishing Co.-winter 2006
The Trains We Rode-Lucius Beebe & Charles Clegg(bc)
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April 25, 2009, revised April 26, 2011